Samsung Intercept SPH-M910 HotSpot

You have an Samsung Intercept SPH-M910 Android SmartPhone? You want to use it as a WiFi access point so that your other mobile devices--netbook, Motorola Xoom (tablet), iPod touch, etc.--could all use it to access the internet? Yes. It's possible to WiFi tether to the Samsung Intercept. You came to the right place. This article shows you step-by-step method of enabling the Samsung Intercept Android phone to be a WiFi hotspot in infrastructure mode, rather than ad-hoc mode.

Note
If you don't have the Samsung Intercept already, but are just thinking of getting it for hotspot, consider getting the LG Optimus V (see "Related Links" below) instead. It hotspot mode is enabled without rooting the phone. Just install the "Quick Settings" app to turn it on.

This article assumes that you are running Android 2.2 on your Samsung Intercept. In fact, we are using Android 2.2.2 to get wireless tethering to work. You can find out the Android OS version by: tap menu button -> "Settings" -> "About phone".

Step 1: Rooting the Samsung Intercept

In order for the Samsung Intercept to be a wireless access point, it must be rooted. If your Samsung Intercept is already rooted, then you can skip this step.

If your Samsung Intercept is using Android 2.2.x, then download the software and follow the instructions presented at "Rooting the Samsung Intercept". The software on that page makes rooting painless for the Samsung Intercept. All you have to do is double-click a script and wait about half-an hour or so (I didn't time it exactly).

Step 2: Downloading the WiFi Tether App

In order to make your Samsung Intercept work as a WiFi hotspot, you must run a software app that makes the Samsung Intercept operated as a wireless access point. There is an open source software that does just that. That software is located here: android-wifi-tether.

As of this writing, we found that the version 3.1 beta 2 works with the Samsung Intercept. So, download the wifi_tether_v3_1-beta2.apk package directly to your phone or download it to your computer first and then put it on your phone.

Step 3: Installing the WiFi Tether App

Next, you need to install the WiFi Tether app to your phone. In order to do so, you have to give Android permission to install apps that you didn't download from the market. On your Android phone:

Tap the menu button.

Select "Settings".

Select "Applications".

Enable "Unknown sources".

If you downloaded the "WiFi Tether" app on your Samsung Intercept, then it will show up on the notification bar. Drag the bar down and click on the "WiFi Tether" package. Android will ask you whether you want to install the package. Click the "Install" button.

If you downloaded the app on your computer and then transferred it to the Samsung Intercept SmartPhone, then you need to use a file manage on the Samsung Intercept to install the package. You can get a file manager from Android Market. Or if you are on Virgin Mobile, it comes with one called "My Files". Find the "WiFi Tether" app package with the file manager. Tap on the package to install it.

Step 5: Configuring your WiFi Access Point

In order to properly setup the Samsung Intercept to act as an access point, you must configure the WiFi Tether app correctly. And we'll show you how in this section.

Start by launching the WiFi Tether app. Tap the menu button. Select "Settings". Then change the settings as follows:

Change Device-Profile - You must change this setting to "Samsung Epic 4G".

Change Setup-Method - You must change this setting to "Softap for Samsung (master)".

Change SSID - This setting defaults to "AndroidTether". You can change it to any string you like. This is the access point name that you'll connect to on your WiFi devices.

WiFi-driver reload - Make sure this setting is checked. Without checking this setting, the connection will work for the first ten or so seconds, but after that your WiFi devices will no longer have Internet access.

Change LAN - You can pick any of the setting you like. We used "192.168.3.0/24".

We didn't change any other settings. So if you keep the defaults, it should work. After configuring these settings, press the back button.

Step 6: Enabling the Wireless HotSpot

Now you are ready to put all of your devices on the Internet. It's easy to start the WiFi access point. Tap the wireless symbol in the middle of the app. The app will show a dialog that says "Start Tethering". When the wireless symbol turn yellow, your Samsung Intercept is a hotspot.

Step 7: Connecting Your Devices

On your WiFi device, search for the SSID you configured. If you didn't change that setting, then the SSID is "AndroidTether". Make sure you enable DHCP on your WiFi device. The Samsung Intercept hotspot will assign an IP address for your device automatically. Once your device is connected to the Samsung Intercept, you will be able to enjoy using the Internet on it.

Step 8: Stopping the Wireless Tethering Service

After using the WiFi tethering function, disabling it on the Smsung Intercept to save battery life. Simply pressing the wireless network symbol in the "WiFi Tether" app again to stop the service

Caveat: The WiFi tether functionality won't work again until you reboot your Samsung Intercept phone. It has something to do with the "WiFi-driver reload" setting. The driver reload only works once. To make it work again, the phone has to be rebooted. Yet, the driver must be reloaded so that the connection would stay aliv. It's a minor inconvenience for using the Samsung Intercept as a hotspot.